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Shareholder Litigation Derivative Suit Corporate Governance

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Texas Enacts New Pro-Business Law to Expand Its Appeal as a Hub for Business Incorporations

On May 14, 2025, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed Texas Senate Bill 29 (SB29) into law. This legislation introduces notable amendments to the Texas Business Organizations Code (TBOC) and is part of a broader strategy to...more

PilieroMazza PLLC

Managing Litigation Risk During the Business Lifecycle, Part 3: Derivative Actions

PilieroMazza PLLC on

While litigation risk is an unavoidable aspect of running a business, business owners can limit such risks with early planning. In this third installment of PilieroMazza’s blog series, “Managing Litigation Risk During the...more

Baker Botts L.L.P.

Texas Corporations Gain New Governance Tools and Increased Predictability in Shareholder Disputes

Baker Botts L.L.P. on

Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Texas Senate Bill 29, which includes a comprehensive package of amendments to the Texas Business Organizations Code aimed at reinforcing and revitalizing the governance...more

Vinson & Elkins LLP

Actions for Corporations to Obtain the Benefits of Amendments to the Texas Business Organizations Code

Vinson & Elkins LLP on

On May 14, 2025, Texas Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 29 (“S.B. 29”) into law, significantly reforming the Texas Business Organizations Code (“TBOC”) to promote Texas as a preferred state of incorporation for both public...more

Woodruff Sawyer

Derivative Suit Exposure: More Art Than Science

Woodruff Sawyer on

Derivative suits are a topic of discussion that continues to challenge directors, officers, and insurers alike. The issue is particularly fraught for individual directors and officers because Delaware-incorporated companies...more

Allen Matkins

Court Rules That When Profits Are Hypothetical There Can Be No Civil Theft

Allen Matkins on

Under California Penal Code Section 496(a) a person who buys or receives any property that has been stolen or that has been obtained in any manner constituting theft or extortion, knowing the property to be so stolen or...more

Allen Matkins

When Dismissing A Case Violates Due Process

Allen Matkins on

When a shareholder sues derivatively, the shareholder is seeking relief not for itself, but for the corporation.  Therefore, it should be expected that the shareholder is not free to compromise or dismiss the suit absent...more

Allen Matkins

Just What Are The Duties Of A Controlling Shareholder And How Should Claims Of Breach Be Brought?

Allen Matkins on

In a recent post, Professor Stephen Bainbridge discusses the question of when a controlling shareholder owes fiduciary duties to minority shareholders.  Knowing when controlling shareholder owes fiduciary duties is one thing,...more

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

A Delayed Look at the Delaware Supreme Court Decision in 'In re Match Derivative Litigation': Director Independence

The Delaware Supreme Court’s recent decision in In re Match Group, Inc. Derivative Litigation (April 4, 2024) addressed two issues of significance to transactions of Delaware corporations involving their controlling...more

Allen Matkins

Is Your Directors And Officers Liability Coverage Illusory?

Allen Matkins on

Many corporations pay significant amounts for directors and officers liability policies.  Commonly referred to as D&O policies, these policies usually involve three sides.  Directors and officers are likely to have the most...more

Allen Matkins

After More Than A Year, Questions Remain Regarding Caremark and Officers

Allen Matkins on

Last year, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster famously held that officers could be subject to liability under the Caremark doctrine.  In re McDonald’s Corp., 289 A.3d 343 (Del. Ch. Jan. 26, 2023).    The Caremark doctrine...more

Woodruff Sawyer

Corporate Barbarians at the Gates: The Attack on Delaware

Woodruff Sawyer on

All empires eventually decline. For decades, Delaware has held the crown as the premier state of incorporation for domestic companies (and many foreign companies seeking a foothold in the United States capital markets). But...more

Allen Matkins

Judge Finds Demand Futility Is A "Live" Issue

Allen Matkins on

A recent ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Anthony J. Battaglia addresses whether demand futility is an affirmative defense that must be asserted in an answer or raised in a motion to dismiss.  In re Franklin Wireless, 2024...more

BCLP

Action Stations - Activist investors are hoping to influence the ESG agenda; what are the likely wider repercussions for the...

BCLP on

The ESG litigation landscape is rapidly developing. Activist claimants, whose end-goal is to effect change in the management, ESG policies or ESG credentials of companies or regulated firms, are progressively pressurising...more

Morris James LLP

2023 Delaware Corporate and Commercial Case Law Year in Review

Morris James LLP on

This top ten list summarizes significant decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery over the past calendar year. Our criteria for selection are that the decision either meaningfully changed...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

California Court Adopts the Caremark Standard for Oversight Claims

Latham & Watkins LLP on

The decision articulates the standard for plaintiffs asserting derivative claims based on an alleged failure of oversight by directors and officers of California companies. Nearly three decades ago in the seminal case In...more

J.S. Held

Will Derivative Shareholder Litigation Be the New Firing Line for Ensuring Achievement of Corporate Sustainability Goals?

J.S. Held on

Mitigating climate change impacts is becoming a critical business priority, and the pressure to achieve corporate sustainability objectives is mounting as investment-focused regulations continue to drive companies toward...more

Goodwin

Supreme Court Delivers Key Defense Victory by Limiting Section 11 Claims in Direct Listings - and Again Calling for a Rigid...

Goodwin on

On June 1, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion that makes it more difficult for shareholders to bring Section 11 claims against companies that go public via direct listings. The case involved a...more

Allen Matkins

Court of Appeal Applies Caremark/Marchand To Directors of a California Corporation But The Result May Surprise You

Allen Matkins on

Over the years, I have commented on the fact that the California Court of Appeal has yet to apply In re Caremark International Inc., 698 A.2d 959 (Del. Ch. 1996) to the directors of a California corporation. Last Friday,...more

BCLP

High Court dismisses green strategy derivative claim against Shell’s directors

BCLP on

In February 2023 ClientEarth issued a derivative action against Shell’s 11 directors. ClientEarth alleged that the directors had breached their duties under the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) by failing to adopt and implement...more

Goodwin

McDonald’s Part Two: Delaware Court of Chancery Dismisses Caremark Claims Against Directors Arising From Sexual Harassment Issues

Goodwin on

On March 1, 2023, in In re McDonald’s Corporation Stockholder Derivative Litigation, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of Delaware’s Court of Chancery granted a motion to dismiss derivative claims against McDonald’s directors...more

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Delaware Court Extends Fiduciary Duty of Oversight to Corporate Officers

For companies incorporated in Delaware (and beyond), it may be time to reexamine a number of issues impacting senior leadership from a variety of perspectives, including corporate governance, indemnification provisions,...more

Hicks Johnson

Landmark Ruling on Oversight Liability Creates New Risks for Corporate Officers

Hicks Johnson on

According to a recent decision handed down by the Delaware courts, corporate officers must now contend with a new avenue of liability: the duty of oversight. Previously, only a company’s board could face personal liability...more

The Volkov Law Group

Delaware Court Extends Caremark Duty of Oversight to Senior Officers

The Volkov Law Group on

In a far-reaching decision with significant implications, the Delaware Chancery Court recently issued a decision confirming that Caremark duty of oversight obligations extends to senior officers.  This will have an immediate...more

Goodwin

Delaware Court of Chancery Finds for the First Time That Officers’ Fiduciary Duties Include Caremark Duty of Oversight, and That...

Goodwin on

On January 25, 2023, in In re McDonald’s Corporation Stockholder Derivative Litigation, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of Delaware’s Court of Chancery denied a motion to dismiss a derivative lawsuit against David Fairhurst,...more

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